* 5 ^urniôlied
^Jiioroucÿlifiÿ
, June 5 , 1951
Commencement Address Given at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles
By Thomas Moseley, D.D.*
F ROM Second Timothy 3:14-4:5 in Arthur Way’s translation, I find three personal passages which I would leave with you: I. “But YOU—hold to your convic tions.” II. “ I charge YOU — proclaim His message.” III. “ But YOU—fully discharge your function as God’s steward.” Today Christ is looking for disciples who have apostolic vision, apostolic pow er, and apostolic passion. The brand of Christianity abroad today is not enough to cope with the forces arrayed against the Christian faith such as Communism and Materialism. We must get back to the foundations of the faith as revealed in the Book. But it is not enough to search out and repeat the creeds of the Apostolic fathers; it is necessary for us to be so possessed with the positive truths they contain that they will be come part of the fiber of our being and that our lives may be transformed. I. “ But YOU — hold to your convic tions.” 1. The first basic conviction which we must hold is that Jesus Christ is God. Just as the written word is both hu man and divine, so the Living Word is both divine and human. When Jesus came into the world as Emmanuel, this planet was visited by God. When the wise men came to the manger to bring their gifts, they kissed the feet of God. When they heard the voice at Bethany, “ Lazarus, come forth,” they heard the voice of God. When the disciples were faced with One girded with a towel, their feet were washed by God. When wicked men nailed Jesus to the cross, they shed the blood of God. “ In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” This Christ of God fills the universe with His presence. He has been revealed to us as the Christ of creation, the Christ of the cradle, the Christ of the cross, the Christ of the crown, and the Christ of the coming. From eternity to eternity He fills the horizon of the universe. Take Christ out of the cosmos and we have chaos. Every thing would disintegrate, for “by Him all things consist.” What a Saviour! What a Lord! *President of the Missionary Training Institute, Nyack - on - the - Hudson, New York,
2. The second conviction we must hold is that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Satan aims his darts at our faith in the Book. If he can undermine our faith here, our citadel is as good as fallen. Thank God for the testimony of such scholars as Prof. Dick Wilson of Prince ton. Said he, after studying1'twenty-six languages in the field of Old Testament criticism, “ I have come now to the con viction that no man knows enough to assail the truthfulness of the Old Testa ment.” When doubts and seeming dis crepancies are brought to our attention, it is for us to say, “ I believe God! I be lieve that all scripture is divinely in spired by God.” The Word of God must be apprehended by a living faith. With this attitude we can afford to wait for further light. At a recent conference of theologians, I attended a discussion group on the Interpretation of the New Testament. One outstanding theologian mentioned, “ I believe that every word of the original documents was inspired by God. I believe this! But I do not under stand, for instance, why in St. Mark’s gospel it is recorded that they broke up the roof, as with pick and shovel, to let the man down, and yet in St. Luke’s gos pel it suggests they just removed the tiles.” Immediately I remembered my twenty- five years in the Orient where I had seen hundreds! of Chinese houses built where first a thick layer of mud mixed with cut straw was laid on slats across the rafters of the roof, after which the tiles were put in place. After removing the tile, they would have to dig up the dried mud to let anyone down through the roof, so we see both accounts are true. For every problem the Bible presents, God has an answer. Hold fast the con viction that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. 3. We hold the conviction that the Holy Spirit is the power of God. Divine power is not the result of earthly enthusiasm. Divine power is the gift of God. As believers, we are not only born of the Spirit, but the blessed Holy Spirit awaits to fully possess our hearts and lives as we surrender all to Him. He comes to us as the Spirit of life, the Spirit of love, the Spirit of holiness, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of comfort, the Spirit of quickening, the Spirit of prayer, the
Spirit of faith, the Spirit of revival, the Spirit of fire, the Spirit of missions, and the Spirit of the Advent. Said Charles G. Finney, “ When Chris tians humble themselves and consecrate their all to Christ, and ask for power for service, they often receive such a baptism of power that they are instru mental in converting more souls in one day than in all their lifetime pre viously.” Finney tells us the enduement of power which came the night of his conversion, would at times when he preached cut men off their seats like a sword. Terrible conviction of their sin ful condition would take possession of them. In nine short years God gave Fin ney in his ministry five hundred thou sand souls. Let us make much room for God the Holy Spirit in our life and min istry. 4. We must hold the conviction that prevailing prayer is the method of God. To find a man of power you must seek for a man of prayer. When we grow prayerless our deeds grow powerless. The secret of all our failure is our fail ure in secret prayer. The pattern for our prayer life is the Saviour Himself. As we glance through St. Luke’s gospel we find: Chapter 3. After his baptism Jesus prayed and as He prayed the Holy Spirit descended upon him. Chapter 5 tells of great multitudes crowding to hear Him, but “Jesus Him self withdrew into the desert to pray.” Chapter 6. “Jesus remained all night in prayer to God.” Chapter 9. He took the five loaves and two fishes but before giving them out to the multitude He looked to heaven and prayed. Chapter 9. At the transfiguration “ As he prayed He was transformed before them, and they saw His glory.” Chapter 11. After watching Jesus’ prayer life His disciples said to Him, “ Lord teach us to pray,” and He taught them the Lord’s prayer. Chapter 22. In Gethsemane Jesus knelt and prayed, “Not my will but thine be done.” Chapter 23. On the cross in all his agony he prayed, “ Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Chapter 24. At His ascension “ He lifted up His hands and blessed them.”
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